Apparatus for forming articles from wood powder and the like



Jan, 27, 1925.

J. N. WHITEHOUSE I APPARATUS FOR FORMING ARTICLES FROM WOOD POWDER AND THE LIKE Filed Nov. 18, 1920 I 3 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 27, 1325. I 1,524,643

I v J. N. WHITEHOUSE APPARATUS- FOR FORMING ARTICLES FROM WOOD POWDER AND THE LIKE Filed Nov. 18, 1920 3 Sheet-Sheet 2' J. N. I WHITEHOUSE APPARATUS FOR FORMING ARTICLES FROM WOOD POWDER AND THE LIKE Filed Nov. 18, 1920. :5 Shee't-Sheet 5 1 i I l .I

1y I I s I l Patented Jan. 27, 1925.

eA'r-ENr orrte;

JOHNUN, wnrrnnousn on NEW YORK, N. Y.

Application filed November 13, 1920. Serial No. 424,990.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, J 01 n N. lVnrrEHo sn, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county ofNcw York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Forming Articles from Wood Powder and the like, of which the following is a specification,

1 My present invention: relates toapparatus for molding cigar holder cases, pipe cases and similar articles of a hollow character.

The general objects of the inventionare to provide a mold f relatively simple const-ruction and one which will be entirely practical. and efficient for the purposes in- .tended.

A special objectis to provide satisfactory apparatus for molding articles o-utof a wood powder mixture, such as disclosed in my co pending application Serial N o. 379,252

The invention involves numerous ,novel features of ,construction, combinations and relations of parts, out of which will be disclosed in the course of thefollowing speci fication which is tobe read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein I have illustrated a concrete and practicalembodime-nt of the invention.

In the drawings referred to, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the complete apparatus, parts being indicated as broken away, for lack of space; Figures 2 and 3are enlarged crosssectional views of the mold proper showing the same in twodiiferent positions; Figures 4 and 5 are fragmentary sectional views one further enlarged scale illustrating the operation of the mold parts 5. Figure 6 is another fragmentary sectional View illustratingparticularly the manner in which a hinge part may be positioned on the mold;

Figure 7 A is a sectional view of the mold,

A taken on a. plane at right angles to the plane of Figures2 and 1 i The inachlne lllustrated 1s deslgned for the production of clgar holdercases suchas disclosed in my co-pending application referred to, andthe mold therefor consists of a concave or female part 10 and a cooperating male member 11.

As shownvin Figure 1, the convex member of the mold is supported relatively stationary on posts 12 carried by the frame .13 of the machine, and the concave member,

which is uppermost in this instance, is pivotally supported at 14 on a swinging lever 15 which ,is pivoted at its rearward end at 16 toa swinging link 17 pivotally connected with the frame or base of the machine at 18. The forward end of this mold lever is adapt.-

ed to serve as a handlefor swinging the upper mold partdown over the lowei-inold pa A V This swinging support for the upper gnold member enables the same to be lifted away from t-he lower mold part. and to be swung 'to the rear over a suitable'heating appliance such as the gas burner indicated at'19. The mold member may be supported in this rearward position over thegas burner by causing the operating lever to rest on a supporting bar 20 carried by the frame,

To assist in manipulating the swinging mold part I have shown a chain 21 as hooked to the mold-operating lever at 22 and as errtended up over a pulley :23, this chain being provided at its free end with a handle 23?. It W111 be obvious that upon pulling on this handle the'mold-carrying lever may be lifted either for the purpose .of swinging the mold part to the rear, or inthe event where the mold part is supported at the rear, thischain may be utilized to st-artthe lever upwardly for the purpose of swinging the mold partupwardly away from its burneiyth'e pivotal centre of the pulley: 23 beinglocated for such purposes preferably, substantially .in line with the pivotal, support for the rear end of the lever. v

1n the illustration, two complete molds are provided, the means for .opera-tingvthe same being duplicated so that. one mold may be controlled independently of the other.

Also in the illustration each mold. is constructed to mold two articlesat oneoperation, the upper mold partbeing for the pur pose provided with two mold cavities 24: re-

ceiving the cooperating projections25 of the lower mold member.

Interposed be ween the two; members of the mold and cooperating 'withithehlow'er mold member to form acavity or cavities for the molding material, is a follower plate 26 slidingly fitting over the projecting posts27 of the lower mold member and yieldingly supported in thefupraised relation shown in Figure 2- by the supporting springs 28. Tliese springs are shown as coiled about the bolt rods 29 which slide down through openingsin the lower mold member and are pro vided at the under side of the same with thumb nuts 30 forming stops adjustable to limit the upward thrust of the follower.

The stops referred to are so adjusted that when the mold is open, as indicated in Figure 2, the walls of the guiding openings, which fit over the projections 27, will form pockets about the male members of the mold to receive charges of the molding material. It will be evident that by adjusting these stop nuts the depth of these pockets or mold cavities can be varied so as to hold more or less of the molding material, as may be required by different conditions.

In use, the mold-operating lever is first thrown back to carry the upper mold ele ment over the heater provided therefor. A charge, or charges in the case of a multiple mold, is placed in the mold cavity, this charge being melted or reduced to the required plasticity by a heater such as the burner 31 positioned beneath the lower mold member.

hen the proper heat is attained the upper mold part is lifted away from the heater, the chain being usually utilized to assist this movement and the lever is swung forwardly to carry the upper mold member over the companion mold part. This upper member, by reason of this pivotal support, automatically adjusts itself to the companion part; and the proper engagement of these parts may be assisted by providing the up- ,per part with one or more positioning pins such as I have indicated at 32 in Figure .7 to enter in corresponding guiding openings 33 in the follower plate.

As the upper mold member closes over the cavity formed by the lower member and the follower plate, the molding material indicated at 34, Figure 4, is squeezed up into the cavity formed in the upper female member, as shown'in Figure 5, the follower being depressed during such operation until the position indicated in Figure 3 is reached.

To insure the proper flow of themolding material into the cavity of the female element I preferably employ means for automatically closing the mold at a. gradual rate, and in accordance with the flow of the material. In the illustration this is accomplished by means of a mold-closing spring 35 shown in Figure 1 as secured at one end to theframe and as connected at the opposite end to a lever 36 pivoted to the frame at 37 and detachably connected by means of a pivoted hook link 38 with the forward end of the mold-operating lever 15. In using this device, as the mold-closing lever is swung forwardly over the lower mold element, the lever 36 is lifted by the operator against the tension of the mold-closing spring and the link 38 is swung into hooked engagement with the mold-operating lever to thereby establish a connection enabling the spring to apply its tension to the closing of the mold. This resilient force causes the molding material to flow gradually and uniformly into the mold cavity in the female member producing an outer surface for the molded article having the desired finish and uniformity.

When the mold is entirely closed and the material is fully compressed and forced into the required shape the follower is preferably latched in its depressed condition as by means of pivoted latches at opposite sides of the follower, one of which is indicated at 39, Figure 1, said latches being arranged to engage catch pins 40 on the lower stationary mold member and being connected together by a common handle 41 which may be used for simultaneously releasing both latches. The weight of this handle is ordinarily sufficient to cause these. latches to interlock with the catch pins to secure the follower in its depressed condition. Hence when the upper mold element is lifted the follower remains in its depressed condition, the position indicated in Figure 3, so; that the molded articles may be readily lifted off the pro jecting portions of the lower mold member.

As above stated, the apparatus is intended primarily for molding articles of a wood. powder composition. This composition consists usually of a mixture of sawdust and starch with or without rosin or the like; The gradual closing of the heated mold causes this mixture toflow sufficiently to:

completely fill the mold cavity, and the ap plication of heat with the mold closed changes the melted mass into a solid rigid body, substantially homogeneous througlr out. When the melting and baking operations are complete the mold is opened as above described, and after removal of the products the mold is again ready for use, the interval of time required for the refilling of the mold being usually sufficient for the heating of the upper mold part which has been thrown back over the burner provided therefor at the rear of the machine.

Another special feature of the invention is the provision of the lower or male ment ber of the mold with means for positioning a hinge element in the edge portion of the molded product. This feature is illustrated particularly in Figures 4, 5 and 6 and consists in the provision of the lower mold member, at the edge of the mold cavity therein, with a socket 42 to receive the angled end of a pin 43 which is engaged in the eye portion of a hinge leaf 44. This positionlng pin in addition to properly locating the hinge element within the mold cavity,

serves also to prevent the molding material from flowing onto the eye portion of the hinge leaf.

When the hinge leaf is to be molded in the article the same is supported by means of the positioning pin in the upstanding relation indicated in Figure 4: with the molding material packed thereabout. As the mold closes, the upward flow of the molding material swings the hinge leaf over into the inclined relation indicated in Figure 5 and causes the material to flow through the bonding opening 45 provided in the hinge leaf so that in the final molded product the hinge leaf is properly imbedded and interlocked in the edge portion of the pro-duct.

After removal from the mold the positioning pins may of course be removed from the eyes of the hinge plates to receive the proper hinge pintles.

In placing the female member of the mold at the top and causing the molding material to flow upwardly thereinto I have found that a much better finish of the exposed surface is obtained than where, as in prior instances, the female element is placed at the bottom and the molding material is initially charged thereinto. The receding plate which provides the initial mold cavity toreceive the material by reason of its recession and the trapping of the same in the depressed condition, greatly facilitates the removal of the molded articles from the mold.

I claim:

1. In a mold of the character described, companion mold parts, one provided with a socket and a hinge-leaf locating pin engageable in said socket.

2. In a mold for producing a molded article with an element imbedded. therein, companion mold parts, one provided between the meeting faces of the mold parts with a socket to receive the positioning pin for the imbedded element.

3. In a device of the character described, a support, companion mold parts on said support, one of said mold parts being stationary and the other movable, a lever on the movable mold part having connection with the support, a second lever pivoted to the support and having a link detachably connected to the first lever and having a spring connected to the support for exerting closing force on the first lever and thereby gradually close the mold.

4. In a device of the character described, a support, companion mold parts on said support, one of said mold parts being stationary and the other movable, a lever on the movable mold part having pivotal connection with the support, means on the support having connection with the lever for swinging said lever about its pivot to raise or lower the movable mold part, a second lever pivoted tothe support and having a link detachably connected to the first lever and having a spring connected to the support for exerting closing force on the first lever and thereby gradually close the mold.

5. In a device of the character described,

a support, companion mold parts on the support, one of said mold parts being stationary and the other movable, a follower between said mold parts having latch members pivotally secured thereto, said members having a handle for operating the same, pins on the stationary mold part engageable with said latch members for securing the follower to the stationary mold part in depressed condition, a lever on the movable mold part with the support, means on the support having connection with the lever for swinging said lever about its pivot to raise or lower the movable mold part, and a second lever pivoted to the support and having connection with the first lever for exerting closing force on the movable mold part when the same is in lowered position.

7. In a device of the character described, a support, companion mold parts on said support, one of said mold parts being stationary and the other movable, a lever on the movable mold part having pivotal connection with the support, and a second lever pivoted to the support and having connection with the first lever for exerting closing force on the movable mold part.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JOHN N. WHITEHOUSE. 

